Collapsible container for fluids

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a container for a small quantity, for instance a portion, of fluid material such as liquid, gas, paste or gel, wherein the container is adapted to reduce its volume through the exertion of external forces and the container is provided with a closure, wherein the container comprises two walls (7, 8) which are each rigid at least on their edge and which are connected by a flexible wall (9, 10). The container is preferably provided with a closure which is breakable by internal pressure on the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a container for a small quantity, for instancea portion, of fluid material such as liquid, gas, paste or gel, whereinthe container is adapted to reduce its volume through the exertion ofexternal forces and the container is provided with a closure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such containers are generally known, for instance in the form of tubsfor condensed milk closed by means of aluminium foil.

Such prior art containers have the drawback that when the cover isremoved there is a considerable chance of leakage and spillage.

From GB-A-1 114 691 is known a container for fluid material wherein thecontainer is adapted to reduce its volume through the exertion ofexternal forces.

This is a container which is costly in mass production.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a container which canbe manufactured at lower cost.

This object is achieved in that the container comprises two walls whichare each rigid at least on their edge and which are connected by aflexible wall.

These steps result in a simpler and therefore less expensive productionprocess, for instance by using a moulding process for the rigid wallsand possibly a part of the flexible walls, and subsequently applying ablow moulding or deep-draw process to form the flexible walls.

It will be apparent that the container is not only intended for liquidssuch as condensed milk or lemon squash but that it is also suitable forpackaging gas, for instance gas as fuel for lighters, or for gel-likeproducts such as mayonnaise, sauce for french fries, or for pastes suchas glue.

The closure is preferably arranged on a discharge spout adjoining anedge.

This step has the advantage that the closure, which is usually formed bya removable or displaceable element, is formed together with a rigidwall or- if this latter is formed by a rigid edge-is formed togetherwith a cover element arranged on the rigid edge.

According to another preferred step the discharge spout is provided witha closure to be removed manually from its position closing the dischargespout.

With this step the container is properly closed until shortly beforeuse; the closure is not opened by external pressure on the container.

According to a preferred embodiment the edges of the rigid walls areeach located substantially in a flat plane, which planes extendsubstantially parallel when a container is full. This embodimentcombines a simple production process, as already known for instance inthe case of condensed milk tubs, with the advantages of the invention.For this purpose the manufacturing process for the tubs has only to beadapted to the collapsibility of the side walls. This can be performedfor instance by a blow moulding process.

Other attractive preferred embodiments are designated in the sub-claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be elucidated hereinbelow with reference tothe annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of thepresent invention, but then in collapsed situation;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a variant of the embodiment shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the variant shown in FIG. 4 in collapsedsituation; and

FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The container 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a flat upper surface 2 and alower surface not shown in the drawing. Both the upper surface 2 and thelower surface are sufficiently rigid for this application. The rigidupper surface 2 and the rigid lower surface are mutually connected ontheir edge by side walls 3 which allow of a large measure offlexibility. Side surfaces 3 are folded in concertina shape, wherein thefolds 4 extend substantially parallel to the edges of the rigidsurfaces.

Arranged on one edge of upper surface 2 is a spout 5 which is providedwith an internal channel and which is adapted to guide the content ofcontainer 1 when the upper surface 2 is pressed in the direction towardthe lower surface. The spout 5 is preferably provided with a closure(not shown in the drawing) which can be removed manually to dispense thefluid. This closure can be formed for instance by a thin wall which isformed simultaneously with forming of the spout and which can be removedfor instance by means of a pull tab.

It is possible to manufacture such a container from many types ofmaterial. It will also be apparent that such a container can preferablybe manufactured from plastic, and particularly from those plastics whichcan result in a rigid surface when sufficiently thick and which, whenthe wall thickness is sufficiently thin, ensure the flexibility of sucha wall preferably embodied in a concertina configuration.

It is pointed out here that it may also be useful to provide the rigidwalls with reinforcement ribs and the like. These can be embodiedinternally but also externally, wherein external placing ofreinforcement ribs facilitates grasping of the container with thefingers.

It is noted that the dimensions of such a container are small; thedimensions are chosen such that in the case of foodstuffs it is suitableto contain a single portion.

In order to remove the full contents from the container, one of the twosurfaces can be provided with an inward directed recess.

Although the foregoing embodiment relates to a container withrectangular rigid surfaces, it will be apparent that such rigid surfacesmay also take other forms, for instance square, polygonal, round oroval.

It will also be apparent that it is not necessary for the rigid surfacesto be mutually parallel when the container is full; it is also possibleto mutually connect these surfaces on one side by a hinge-likeconstruction, which must of course be fluid-tight, and to move thesurfaces toward each other in the manner of a bellows, whereby thecontent flows out through spout 5.

FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a container according to theinvention. The container 6 depicted therein once again comprises a rigidupper surface 7 and a rigid lower surface 8, only an edge of which canbe seen in the drawing. Both rigid surfaces 7,8 take a round form.Extending round the rigid surface 7 in the manner of a skirt is aflexible surface 9 which is connected on its outer edge to a flexiblesurface 10 likewise extending in the manner of a skirt from the rigidsurface 8. The two surfaces 9,10 are mutually connected along an edge11. Arranged along the edge is a spout 12 through which the content ofthe container can flow out when the rigid surfaces 7,8 are moved towardeach other. The two flexible surfaces 9,10 are provided with radiallyextending folds 13 which provide the flexible surfaces 9,10 with therelevant flexibility.

FIG. 3 shows the collapsed form of the container shown in FIG. 2. Thecontent of the container flows out through discharge aperture 14 ofspout 12.

FIG. 4 shows a variant of the container depicted in FIG. 2; in thecontainer shown in FIG. 4 the material from which the flexible walls9,10 are manufactured is of a great flexibility such that they do nothave to be provided with folds; collapsing of the surfaces 7,8 resultsin a deformation of the flexible surfaces 9,10 as shown in FIG. 5.

Finally, FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment which is formed by a plasticcontainer 15 formed by a substantially flat base 16 and a substantiallycylindrical wall 17. The wall 17 is provided with ribs extendingparallel to the base 16, whereby the container is collapsible in thedirection perpendicularly of the wall 16.

Such a container can be manufactured for instance by initiallydeep-drawing a sheet of material, for instance plastic or aluminium, andsubsequently plastically deforming the thus created semi-manufacture inother manner by, in the case of plastic, blow moulding or suction into arelevant shape or by deforming by means of a mould is stamp. A pouringspout 18 is moulded on the wall 17. Pouring spout 18 is provided with alip 19. In order to close the container a cover 20 is arranged which ismanufactured for instance from aluminium foil or from plastic. Cover 20is attached by means of a thermal adhesion process to the edge 21 ofwall 17.

At the position of pouring spout 18 the cover 20 is adhered to the lip19. In the present embodiment a seam 22 is present in cover 20; in otherconfigurations this seam can be omitted. At the position of lip 19 thecover 20 is attached by means of a thermal adhesion process to lip 19 aswell as to the side walls (not shown in the drawing) of pouring spout18. All this results in a good, fluid-tight closure. The lip 19 isprovided with a tearing perforation 23 which can be torn off during useso that the part of the cover 20 located to the right of seam 22 in thedrawing can be folded upward and the fluid can be dispensed from thepouring spout by for instance pressing the base 16 and cover 20 of thecontainer between thumb and forefinger. The seam 22 can be made thinner.

Further in this embodiment the base 16 takes an elevated form to enablecomplete emptying of the container.

It will be apparent that it is possible to vary in diverse ways from theembodiment shown here without falling outside the scope of protection ofthe claims.

We claim:
 1. A container, being adapted to reduce its volume through theexertion of external forces and comprising two substantially flat walls(16, 20) which are each rigid at least on their edges and which areconnected by a flexible wall (17), one of the walls (16) being a base,the other of said walls (2) comprising a rim (21) connected with theflexible walls and a cover (20) connected with said rim (21), the cover(20) being adapted at least partially as a closure,characterized in thatthe container is adapted to contain a quantity of a fluid material; thatthe container includes a closure which is arranged on a discharge spout(18) adjoining the rim (21) of the wall; that the cover (20) is adheredto the rim (21); and that the cover also covers the discharge spout(18).
 2. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that theflexible wall (17) is folded in concertina shape with a directionalcomponent of the folds parallel to the rigid edges of the walls (16,20).
 3. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that therigid walls (16, 20) are round and the flexible surfaces are folded witha directional component of the folds transversely to the edges of therigid surfaces.
 4. A container as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat the container is at least partially of plastic.
 5. A container asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the walls (16)is provided with a recess.
 6. A container as claimed in claim 4, whereinsaid plastic container is blow molded.
 7. A container as claimed inclaim 4, wherein said plastic container is injection molded.